Travel hamper

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a travel hamper which can fit into a suitcase, if necessary. It is wire spring loaded to have a compressed mode and an expanded mode.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a travel hamper. In particular, it relates to an improved travel hamper designed to maximize packing efficiency while traveling, and fit inside a travel container where necessary.

Description of Related Art

When people travel, they generate dirty laundry, and they frequently return with both clean and dirty laundry with no way to separate them. In practice, most people just pack both the clean and dirty clothing together.

Hampers are well known in the art for positioning dirty clothes in the home setting. They come in literally hundreds of shapes and sizes. But they tend to be on a large size to be useful and are difficult or impossible to utilize while traveling. A better way to deal with dirty clothing while traveling is necessary. Essentially, travel with a hamper is just not currently done.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is the discovery that adapting a hamper to be collapsible that expands to the full size and packed down with clothes in it solves the problems associated with travel and dirty laundry as noted above.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, there is a clothing hamper having an inside depth and also has an inside length, and width, defining an open top perimeter, the hamper comprising:

-   -   a) a hamper rectangular outer portion having a bottom and having         a length and width side walls which define an open top         perimeter, the hamper rectangular outer portion being made of a         fabric material;     -   b) a frame consisting of one or more wires positioned in a         spring loaded manner in opposite walls of the hamper,         rectangular outer portion to provide opposing forces to open the         hamper, rectangular outer portion to an open top perimeter         position; and     -   c) one or more compressions straps positioned to compress         against the frame expansion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully expanded hamper.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the spring frame.

FIG. 3 shows the hamper in a compressed mode held in place by compression straps.

FIG. 4 shows optional rigid flat panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar, or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. This detailed description defines the meaning of the terms used herein and specifically describes embodiments in order for those skilled in the art to practice the invention.

Definitions

The terms “about” and “essentially” mean ±10 percent.

The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or as more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or as more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.

The term “comprising” is not intended to limit inventions to only claiming the present invention with such comprising language. Any invention using the term comprising could be separated into one or more claims using “consisting” or “consisting of” claim language and is so intended.

Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment”, “certain embodiments”, “an embodiment”, or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments without limitation.

The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B, or C” means any of the following: “A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C”. An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.

The drawings featured in the figures are for the purpose of illustrating certain convenient embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be considered as limitation thereto. Term “means” preceding a present participle of an operation indicates a desired function for which there is one or more embodiments, i.e., one or more methods, devices, or apparatuses for achieving the desired function and that one skilled in the art could select from these or their equivalent in view of the disclosure herein and use of the term “means” is not intended to be limiting.

As used herein, the term “fabric” refers to a natural or unnatural doth or other material produced by weaving together cotton, nylon, wool, silk, polymer, or other threads. It can be a solid cloth material or it can be an open netting type cloth.

As used herein, the term “travel container” refers to any kind of container designed as a travel container for clothing and personal items for use in airplanes, or other similar type travel situations. While the term “travel container” is used throughout the application, the term is not meant to be limiting and should be understood to encompass any types of travel containers.

As used herein, the term “clothing hamper” refers to a rectangular clothing hamper having an optional lid, designed to be used alone or inside a travel container primarily to hold dirty clothes after the clothing is worn on a trip, or the like, though any use is contemplated. The clothing hamper outer portion and the lid will be manufactured of a fabric material with a rigid frame that allows the hamper to have a first mode that is compressed and a second mode that is expanded. Embodiments of fabric include cotton cloth, polymer fabric, and the like. The fabric can be colored or not and, in one embodiment, can be semi-transparent allowing for viewing the contents. In one embodiment, the lid is transparent.

As used herein, the term “frame” refers to a collapsible/expandable frame that is part of the hamper designed to support the hamper rectangular outer portion of the hamper and give it shape. In an embodiment, the frame consists of one or more wires positioned in a spring loaded manner in opposite walls (i.e. parallel walls) of the hamper rectangular outer portion to provide opposing forces to open the hamper rectangular outer portion and to open top perimeter position. It can also include bottom positioning to add stiffness to the bottom of the hamper. The wires and base provide outward pressure to enable the hamper to pop open to a fully open position and stand upright.

As used herein, the term “handles” refers to handles designed to either aid in removing the hamper or in carrying the hamper. The handles can be on the sides or at the top, for example. The handles can, in one embodiment, fold down on the sides or fold down on the top of the hamper.

As used herein, the term “compression straps” refers to one or more straps which are fit circumferentially around the hamper to hold it in an open or closed state. The drawings will add further clarity to this definition.

As used herein, the term “dividers” refers to divider panels of the normal type found in many containers, when the divider can be positioned in a number of positions to create compartments within the container portion. The dividers can be fixed or removable and the compartments formed can be various sizes. The dividers can also fold down flat. Such construction is within the skill in the art.

As used herein, the term “lid” refers to a lid designed to fit on the top of the clothing hamper. The lid portion has a length and a width and other shapes that match the open top perimeter of the clothing hamper insert and is designed to form a closed hamper when used on the top of the clothing hamper. The lid further comprises, in one embodiment, a pivotal hinge which traverses essentially all of the width or length of the lid portion. In another embodiment, the lid removably mounts on the hamper using a lid mount adapted to receive the pivotal hinge. The lid can have additional (one or more) hinges attached to the lid mount. The hinge is generally made of the same or similar fabric to the clothing hamper insert.

As used herein, the term “stiff panel insert” refers to essentially flat pieces of stiff material, such as plastic, which can be used to reinforce the sides or bottom of the hamper.

DRAWINGS

Now referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clothing hamper 1 in the open expanded configuration. In this view, the hamper is rectangular. This rectangular shape represents what shape many travel containers are at the present time and could fit inside such a travel container. The hamper rectangular outer portion 3 is made of a selected fabric such as solid cloth or netting. The fabric is supported in the open position by spring loaded scissor frame 5 shown in FIG. 2 which adds rigidity to the cloth and holds it in an open configuration. The hamper 1 has both an expanded and collapsed configuration. The frame would be mounted on all four sides in one embodiment. There are frames on four sides in FIG. 1 but the two sides are hidden in this view, but mirror the ones we see. This view shows optional lid 5 and compression straps 6. Optional divider 8 is also shown.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the frame spring loaded 5. It shows how a top portion of opposite sides is connected such that the hamper wants to be in an open position. It also shows bottom portion 5a which supports the bottom. Arrow 12 indicates the direction of force applied by the frame. Rigid panels, in this view, could be inserted in fabric 3 of this view or 3 could represent the rigid panels on the sides, though panels could also be in the bottom.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of hamper 1 in a compressed state which is held by compression straps 6. Optional handle 30 is also shown. A travel container 31 is shown which the hamper is being inserted into.

FIG. 4 shows rigid flat panel 41 which can optionally be inserted in walls or bottom of the hamper. A rigid panel will aid in preventing buckling of walls when the hamper is in the compressed state and aid in rigidness in the open state.

Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make modifications resulting in other embodiments employing principles of the present invention without departing from its spirit or characteristics, particularly upon considering the foregoing teachings. Accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description or drawings. Consequently, while the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, modifications of structure, sequence, materials and the like apparent to those skilled in the art still fall within the scope of the invention as claimed by the applicant. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A clothing hamper having an inside depth and also has an inside length, and width, defining an open top perimeter, the hamper comprising: a) a hamper rectangular outer portion having a bottom and having a length and width side walls which define an open top perimeter, the hamper rectangular outer portion being made of a fabric material; b) a frame consisting of one or more wires positioned in a spring loaded manner in opposite walls of the hamper, rectangular outer portion to provide opposing forces to open the hamper, rectangular outer portion to an open top perimeter position; and c) one or more compressions straps positioned to compress against the frame expansion.
 2. The clothing hamper according to claim 1 wherein there are handles on the hamper.
 3. The clothing hamper insert according to claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of dividers in the clothing hamper insert which can fold flat during use of the hamper.
 4. The clothing hamper insert according to claim 1 which further comprises a lid.
 5. The clothing hamper insert according to claim 1 which further comprises one or more stiff panel inserts.
 6. The clothing hamper according to claim 1 which is placed in a travel container. 